Albuca plant named ‘Frizzle Sizzle’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Albuca  plant named ‘Frizzle Sizzle’, characterized by its upright plant habit; sturdy and strong plants; relatively rapid bulb development; short, spiraling leaves; and fragrant flowers.

Botanical designation: Albuca spiralis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FRIZZLE SIZZLE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Albucaplant, botanically known as Albuca spiralis and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Frizzle Sizzle’.

The new Albuca plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new Albuca plants withstrongly spiraling leaves.

The new Albuca plant originated from a self-pollination made by theInventor in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands in May, 2005 of an unnamedselection of Albuca spiralis, not patented. The new Albuca plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands in December,2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Albuca plant by in vitro propagation ina controlled environment in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands sinceNovember, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Albucaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Albuca have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Frizzle Sizzle’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Frizzle Sizzle’ as a new and distinct Albucaplant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Sturdy and strong plants.    -   3. Relatively rapid bulb development.    -   4. Short, spiraling leaves.    -   5. Fragrant flowers.

Plants of the new Albuca can be compared to plants of the parentselection. Plants of the new Albuca differ from plants of the parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Bulbs of plants of the new Albuca develop faster than bulbs        of plants of the parent selection.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Albuca are thicker and more        spiraling than leaves of plants of the parent selection.

Plants of the new Albuca can be compared to plants of other unnamedselections of Albuca spiralis, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Albucadiffered from plants of other unnamed selections of Albuca spiralis inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Bulbs of plants of the new Albuca developed faster than bulbs        of plants of other unnamed selections of Albuca spiralis.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Albuca were thicker and more        spiraling than leaves of plants of other unnamed selections of        Albuca spiralis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Albuca plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Albuca plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Frizzle Sizzle’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘Frizzle Sizzle’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants of the new Albuca grown in a glass-coveredgreenhouse during the winter and spring in 10-cm containers inHonselersdijk, The Netherlands and under environmental conditions andcultural practices typical of commercial potted Albuca production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C.to 15° C., night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. and lightlevels ranged from 2,500 to 3,500 lux. Plants were two years old whenthe photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1966 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Albuca spiralis ‘Frizzle Sizzle’.-   Parentage: Self-pollination of an unnamed selection of Albuca    spiralis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—In vitro propagation.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Dense.        -   Bulb description.—Shape: Flattened spherical. Height: About            4 cm. Diameter: About 8 cm. Texture: Smooth. Color: Whitish.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Upright plant habit; sturdy and strong plants;            vigorous growth habit and relatively rapid bulb development.        -   Plant height (to top of foliar plane).—About 7 cm to 8 cm.        -   Plant height (to top of flowering stem).—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 15 cm.        -   Flowering stems (peduncles).—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter:            About 8 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Color: Close to 143A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—About 24 to 28 simple leaves in basal rosette;            leaves sessile; leaves strongly spiraling.        -   Length.—About 16 cm.        -   Width.—At the base, about 4 mm; at the apex, about 1 mm.        -   Shape.—Acicular.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire; strongly spiraling.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; waxy.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            136B. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 136B; venation, close to 136B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single star-shaped flowers arranged            in a single terminal raceme; freely flowering habit with            about ten to 20 flowers developing per inflorescence;            flowers drooping.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering begins about five months            after planting and plants flower throughout the summer in            The Netherlands.        -   Fragrance.—Strongly fragrant; spicy.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten weeks; flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About four to six weeks;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 2.4 cm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 152D.        -   Raceme height (including peduncle).—About 20 cm.        -   Raceme diameter.—About 15 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.5 cm to 1.6 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 cm.        -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six separate segments arranged in two            whorls. Segment length: About 3.5 cm. Segment width: About            1.1 cm. Segment shape: Lanceolate. Segment apex: Acute.            Segment base: Attenuate. Segment margin: Entire. Segment            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy.            Segment color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 153A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            153A; color becoming closer to 170B with development.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong, stiff. Angle: About 45° from vertical.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Color: Close to 175A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Three.            Filament length: About 1.3 cm. Filament color: Close to            155D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 5 mm.            Anther color: Close to 155D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: Close to 155D and becoming close to 162A with            development. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 2.5 cm. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color:            Close to 195B. Stigma color: Towards the base, close to            195A; towards the apex, close to 195B. Ovary color: Close to            195A.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color:            Close to 202A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Albuca have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Albuca.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Albuca have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Albuca plant named ‘Frizzle Sizzle’ as illustratedand described.